Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik used his position of high authority to claim that Arizona immigration law and Conservative opposition to the actions of Barack Obama somehow influenced Jared Loughner to shoot Representative Gabrielle Giffords, Federal Judge John Roll, and others. Dupnik did this during his first opportunity to speak to the news media.

Normally a sheriff would discuss the criminal activity that has taken place and the important aspects of the investigation. That is the job Dupnik was elected to do.